Go ahead and watch this action drama directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, but prepare for moments of excitement and disappointment in equal measure, and oodles of violence
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? What if the force was superstar Rajinikanth, who, in this phase of his career, is experimenting merrily with genres and directors? Also, what if the object is Lokesh Kanagaraj, a director whose filmography is less than a decade old, but has already developed a habit for delivering blockbusters?
As the end credits for Coolie rolled, I couldn’t help but reflect at wasted potential. Here is a 74-year-old superstar and a galaxy of stars in a production bankrolled by one of India’s largest media houses. The end result makes you sigh, wishing the director had pushed the envelope further for cinematic gold-dust. If only…
Rajinikanth’s movies of late tend to fit into one of two categories: a man with a dangerous past dons a friendlier, everyday man persona (think Jailer, Petta or Baasha) a man who overcomes adversity against all odds (from Padayappa to Sivaji and Annamalai). Coolie fits into the former. But this approach isn’t necessarily bad. At a shade under three hours, Coolie throws a lot at us. Some of it sticks; some fail to register an impression.
The other grouse I had with Coolie was that it felt like the script of Vikram — which had Kamal Haasan refreshingly stepping back and letting performers like Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi take over — was rehashed for Rajinikanth. Be it a band of friends reuniting against a common adversary, a key female character developing into a femme fatale (Agent Tina, are you listening?) or a star cameo, my mind kept harking back towards Kanagaraj’s 2022 blockbuster that effortlessly balanced star power and a watertight script and screenplay.
Nagarjuna as Simon in ‘Coolie’. Photo: IMDB/Sun Pictures
Yet, Coolie works in large parts and is shouldered by Rajnikanth and to a large extent, Soubin Shahir. Devarajan (Rajini) runs a hostel for students where all beverages are barred. The camaraderie he shares with Kumar (‘Lollu Sabha’ Maaran, in perhaps his breakout role) brings on the gags by the dozen. There’s also the superstar’s trademark self-effacing humour, where his claim to fame is knowing Chiranjeevi and Anushka Shetty. His introduction song (what’s a Rajini movie without an introduction song?), Chikitu chikitu, is peppy and has him dumping a drum of beverages with a wink as the hostel inmates look on in horror. He slips into different languages effortlessly: be it Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi (this is a pan-India flick, you see).
And as with Kanagaraj’s previous films, here too the protagonist doesn’t have a love interest. Here too, he’s dealing with a tortured past, unsure about navigating the future.
But not everything is hunky-dory, as Deva receives news of the demise of his close friend Rajashekar (Sathyaraj, in a neat role). Something strikes him as odd and he decides to investigate it, along with Preethi (Shruti Haasan), Rajashekar’s daughter. And there is Simon (Nagarjuna), who runs a port that’s a front for multiple illegal activities, along with his enforcer Dayalan (Shahir).
Soubin Shahir in ‘Coolie’
Nagarjuna gets a power-packed introduction befitting a hero, and his own theme song, but his role jostles for space in this multi-starrer. From Kuberaa, where he played a conflicted individual in the midst of some soul-searching, to Coolie, Nagarjuna does a 180 degree-turn, but one wishes there was more substance to it. The terrific pre-interval sequence involving an exchange between Simon and Deva is easily among the stand-out moments of the film.
In contrast, Soubin Shahir gets a meaty role, and he sinks his teeth into it with absolute gusto. Equally maniacal and genius and with a distinct character arc, his role entertains and brings in the laughter, a la Heath Ledger from The Dark Knight. His character is perhaps the best written, apart from Rajinikanth, and it shows! The star of Manjummel Boys, Kumbalangi Nights and Sudani from Nigeria couldn’t have asked for a better debut in Tamil cinema. Ditto with Rachita Ram, who packs an equally mighty punch with her role. Anirudh Ravichander’s soundtrack and score for Coolie plays a key role in keeping you invested in the movie despite its flaws.
The film is packed with fight sequences and oodles of violence that make you feel like you’re in a Tarantino flick, thanks to the stunt choreographer duo of Anbariv. Rajini’s fight sequences are largely limited to hand-to-hand combats, and that plays to his strengths. Kanagaraj has admitted in interviews that he grew up watching actioners and he’d like to see his favourite stars, and it’s hard to miss that sentiment. A lot of such sequences do service to the fanboys of the superstar, but not to the movie. As a result, Coolie stumbles, as it misses a strong emotional core; the very core that elevated Kanagaraj’s previous flicks such as Maanagaram, Kaithi (Bholaa in Hindi) or Leo. Coolie is peppered with mini flashbacks, showcasing a digitally de-aged Rajini fighting for the rights of port workers, but thankfully they’re kept to a minimum.
Beyond a point, there is almost no effort to explore the themes about gold and luxury watch smuggling. And this for a movie set in the backdrop of a port!
The other characters come in and go through, as if through a revolving door, be it Monisha Blessy, Reba Monica John or Upendra; there’s also a cameo by Aamir Khan, but it barely moves the needle. Suriya’s cameo was the centrepiece in Vikram; here, Khan’s role feels like it was put together at the last minute and barely helps us stifle a yawn.
Watch Coolie, but prepare for moments of excitement and disappointment in equal measure.
Movie name: Coolie
Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj
Cast: Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, Upendra Rao, Sathyaraj, Aamir Khan
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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